Hello my lovely readers, I apologize for my absence but I'm back now with chapter ten! Thank you so much to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed, it really means a lot to me!
Meowmix1028 - Daaaw, I'm glad you like them so much!
Goldenwing is Loki'd - I'm glad you like it, you're also the first person to notice Shadecloud's name, cookie to you!
Medicine Cat of the Opera - Oh well, we can't have all high action chapters, it was nice to develop Lotus though!
Blurg The Destroyer - Oh, how nice... *Inches away slowly* I'll just be over here, bye!
Crazy Fennec Fox - Lot's of love for Lotus this time, she would be fun to corrupt though...
Lilacfrost of Technoclan - Thanks Frost!
Swirlspot - Good idea, maybe I'll do that! As for Lotus, well, I always intended her to be kind of harsh.
And now without further ado, I give you the story!
"Alright Shadecloud, I'll spar with you to see what you can do, I presume you know how to fight." Lotus said, crossing to the other side of the clearing.
Frost jumped lightly onto a rock and sat down, curling his black tipped tail around his paws and waiting expectantly for the battle to begin.
"Okay." Shadecloud agreed, assuming an offensive stance, as her mentor had always said 'offense is the best defense'.
Without any warning Lotus leaped across the clearing and pounced on Shadecloud, sending both of them tumbling across the clearing. Shadecloud found herself sprawled on her back with Lotus' paws firmly planted on her shoulders.
"I win, not much of a fighter, are you." Lotus laughed, allowing Shadecloud to rise and bounding over to her original starting point. "You ready for another round?" She asked, smirking at Shadecloud's ruffled fur.
"That wasn't fair!" Shadecloud protested, getting to her paws and shaking dust out of her fur. "I didn't know we were starting!"
Frost gave a chuckle from his rock and addressed Shadecloud, "No one is going to tell you when to start in a real battle. Perhaps that's how it works in the clans but here we do things a little differently."
"Fine." Shadecloud grumbled through gritted teeth, her pelt bristling at Frost's jab at the clans.
This time she didn't give Lotus the chance to surprise her instead barreling straight at the fawn pointed she cat. Lotus leaped neatly out of the way and swiped at Shadecloud's flank with her paws. Shadecloud had been expecting the attack and twisted to avoid it, leaving Lotus off balance. She tackled the smaller she cat, knocking her to the ground and holding her down.
"I yield." Lotus said, rolling to her paws and nodding approvingly at Shadecloud. "So it seems you can fight after all, I suppose there's hope for you yet."
"I should think so, nice work using your size to your advantage." Frost praised, with a flick of his tail he summoned Lotus to his side and began to confer with her in a whisper.
Shadecloud, knowing when she wasn't wanted, settled down in the shadow of a tall tree. The sun was fully up and the day was shaping up to be a hot one, distant clouds belied rain later on despite the clear sky above.
Taking a moment to wash her fur properly Shadecloud watched a robin, its red chest feathers still speckled with white. The bird was flapping its wings ineffectively, it's beak open to emit a pitiful chirp.
Shadecloud caught sight of a nest high above and smiled sadly at the fledgling robin, "looks like you're trying to get home too." She said softly, wondering where the bird's parents were.
As she watched a pair of green eyes shimmered from within the undergrowth swiftly followed by a set of glinting claws that snagged the bird, dragging it by one wing into the bushes.
Shadecloud gave a cry of surprise and horror that gave way to fear as the eyes fixed on her. Looking around frantically she realized that Lotus and Frost had disappeared, with a sinking heart she turned to face the cat.
It was clearly another Fallen One, its green eyes glazed with madness and its dark pelt unkempt and matted. With a feral snarl the cat leaped at Shadecloud, its curved claws outstretched.
The grey warrior leaped back to avoid the attack and moved to the center of the clearing, away from the confining trees. The Fallen One followed, making another wild leap at Shadecloud. As it flew through the air the cat's claws extended, its teeth became fangs and it's form shifted, growing until it was twice its original size.
Shadecloud dodged again, trying for an attack of her own but only managing to nick the cat's pelt before a swipe from its claws sent her skipping away again.
The battle continued, the Fallen One attacking and Shadecloud desperately avoiding the flashing claws and deadly fangs.
This one seemed to lack the foresight of the first and simply attacked with no clear plan, a fact Shadecloud thanked Starclan for. It didn't save her from being backed up against the large rock. Darting away from bite that she was sure would have crushed her bones, the warrior found herself pressed against the burning surface of the stone.
The cat leaped at her and Shadecloud closed her eyes, allowing a scream to fly loose from her throat.
A loud thud sounded and Shadecloud opened her eyes to find a misty black form crouching in front of her, its purple eyes burning. The Fallen One had been knocked to the ground and was standing up, shaking its head dazedly.
Without a sound the fog like form leaped at the Fallen One, its seemingly insubstantial paws landing squarely on the beast's shoulders. The Fallen One fell and lay gasping for breath, the fog cat holding it down with one paw raised.
For a second the mist cat paused and looked at Shadecloud, the grey she cat shivered as its purple eyes seemed to bore into her. It took her a second to realize that the misty creature seemed to be waiting for permission. Shadecloud gave a tentative nod and within a heartbeat the raised paw fell and blood was pooling from the Fallen One's neck.
As its lifeblood stained the sand the beast changed back into a cat, shrinking until it was just a tabby she cat lying on the damp sand. Blood burbled between her lips and Shadecloud heard a faint whisper, leaning closer the black speckled she cat heard faint words,
"But he promised..." The cat whispered, her face a mask of confusion.
"What do you mean? Who promised?" Shadecloud asked, puzzled by the cat's words.
"Smoke... Promised..." The she cat said, the words were garbled and Shadecloud struggled to make them out.
"Smoke? What smoke?" Shadecloud asked, the she cat didn't answer and the warrior noticed that the breath ruffling her ear fur had ceased.
Sitting up Shadecloud looked down at the she cat, the fur around her neck was matted with scarlet blood and her open amber eyes were filled with confusion and fear. Shadecloud dipped her head in respect and gently closed the tabby's eyes.
Hope you enjoyed that chapter, if you did please follow, favorite and review!
QOTD - What do you think Smoke is?
Until next time!
~ Feathers